The offensive came after militants made a rapid advance through three towns near Kurdistan on Sunday.

“We have changed our tactics from being defensive to being offensive. Now we are clashing with ISIS in Makhmur,” said Jabbar Yawar, Secretary General of the ministry of the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.

According to Reuters, Islamic State militants are now closer to the Kurdish semi-autonomous region than ever before, prompting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to call on the air force to help Kurdish forces earlier this week.